It’s Not Just a Buzzword: How to Build a Strategic Company Culture

Do you know the phrase "Culture eats strategy for breakfast"?

If you're in the HR world, chances are that it's been quoted to you at least once - and it didn't come out of nowhere.

Regardless of how many plans you make or how much strategizing you do, your corporate culture can change everything about your organization. The process of defining corporate culture and implementing culture change will set the tone of your business above and beyond any strategic plan you try to implement.

We talked to the VP of Human Resources at Tailor Brands, Yael Sapir-Zehavi, who shared a few tips on how she built a strong culture at Tailor Brands - and how you can do the same. Let's dive into the process of culture building and explore how to create a culture that fosters a healthy workplace culture!

Establish Values to Live By

Your company's culture values are the foundation of your internal culture. Full stop. A clear set of common values will help your employees understand what you stand for, and how they fit into that big picture in their day-to-day work environment.

"This is where the top-down aspects of creating corporate culture come into play," said Sapir-Zehavi. "Our values aren't what we want to be - they're not a compass - but the way we do things. It was really important for us to have multiple examples so that we could easily share our culture with new hires. With clearly defined corporate values, we have the ability to say, 'This is how we do things at Tailor Brands, this is our DNA.'"

At Tailor Brands, she went on to say, all of the values are really about making room for the people who work there:

• Start with trust (autonomy)

• Try, fail, repeat

• Make something beautiful

• Powered by results

Once you establish your own organizational values, they need to infuse everything you do within your organization from the bottom up - starting with the language that you use. These espoused values become the cornerstone of your business culture.

Implement  Clear and Open Communication

It may sound a bit obvious, but what differentiates humans from animals is the fact that we can speak with one another - and the language you use will define the reality of your company.

That's because language is the ability to put symbols on words and to communicate through those symbols. Both you and your team members can use the word "autonomy", for example, and the fact that you both know what it is allows you to be able to expand on the idea.

“If you have an organizational language that’s easy for you to use, then you'll be able to implement the organizational culture that you want to promote. For example, while we do have a hierarchical structure [at Tailor Brands], our culture isn't hierarchical at all. You'll rarely find someone using the word 'employees' - we're all 'team members' here, and everyone is an equal part of the team," said Yael.

"That's one of the reasons establishing our values was an important part of building our culture," she continued. "In meetings, it's normal to hear things like 'okay, try, fail, repeat; worse comes to worst, we won't use it' or, 'You know what? Start with trust, go ahead and let's see how it goes.' We bring our values into our day-to-day conversation, our everyday language."

Creating this shared language ultimately helps foster the kind of work environment you want to promote within your company and supports transparent communication. This approach is crucial for improving company culture and creating a positive culture that enhances the employee experience.

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Walk the Talk

...but actually. Everyone says the same thing, that it's super important to put your words (or values) into action, but what does that look like in practice?

Yael addressed a few ways to walk the talk in three key areas: Your office design, the structure of your business, and the degree to which you let your team make their own choices. These elements are essential in defining corporate culture and creating a healthy corporate culture.

Let Your Office Reflect Your Culture

How you build and design your office is a great way to infuse the culture that you want to implement and improve company culture.

"Our CEO has a desk in the open space, right next to our team," Sapir-Zehavi emphasized. "He doesn't have a big office with his door closed, and neither does HR, Finance, any of the upper management; all of the management sits within the larger team." This is another way to reinforce the non-hierarchical culture at Tailor Brands and promote a sense of belonging among employees, which is crucial for employee well-being.

And, for companies that are still working over Zoom, office structure is especially important. "We believe that one of the things that help people have conversations via Zoom is the fact that everyone is equal. If you're not at the office and you're on a call with six people who are all sitting together in a room, you're missing the small nuances of conversation. If someone tells a joke, the people in the room laugh, and you didn't hear it - you'll feel like an outsider."

These seemingly small things can create such a big impact on an employee's sense of belonging in your company - which translates into how engaged they are and affects overall job satisfaction. So what are some possible solutions?

"We make sure that if we have big conversations over Zoom, no more than two or three people are in the same room so that people who are working from home don't feel like outsiders. We'll never have five people together in a meeting with one person on the outside if we can avoid it."

Yael went on to say that, as Tailor Brands is expanding and looking for a new office that can accommodate the growing team, it's important to them to find a solution that supports a hybrid workspace. "We want to keep the open space concept, but we do need to consider a space that includes a lot of little 'breakout' rooms that will let people join larger Zoom conversations - without making those who are joining from home feel excluded."

Create an Organizational Structure That Supports Your Values

The structural way in which your team works is just as important to building the type of corporate culture you want. For example, if you want employees to understand your KPIs, to know what they're trying to accomplish, and that what they do has an impact on the company's overall end goals, you have to have an organizational structure that allows them to do that. 

“We work in pods - small autonomous groups that mirror a business unit - on an aspect of the product, with everything you need in order to reach your goal. Pods make it easy to obtain an internal locus of control and create a sense of responsibility in each team member, making everyone feel like they're essential to the team," said Yael.

Whether you work in pods or sprints, encourage Summer Fridays or a three-day work week, make sure that the organizational structure you implement reflects your values in some way. This could also include things like:

• Establishing clear KPIs for each team member at the beginning of every project

• Have regular team meetings in which you review and analyze results, both at the company level and the team level

• Quarterly presentations from each Team Lead

• Monthly offsites for strategic planning

These practices not only reinforce your cultural values but also promote team collaboration and continuous learning, which are essential for a successful company culture.

And, last but not least:

Give Your Employees Freedom of Choice

Once you have the foundation of what you believe in as a company, reflect it in any way you can! If making your employees feel seen is a priority for you, don't make decisions for your team that they can make for themselves.

This doesn't have to (only) apply to important company decisions; for example, if you offer meal cards, why not let your team decide individually if they want to use Uber-Eats or DoorDash (or whichever meal cards are popular in your area)? Giving your employees the freedom to choose will empower them to make decisions in other areas, make them feel seen by your company, and give them the feeling that they have a seat at the table. This approach can significantly improve employee satisfaction and contribute to a healthy company culture.

Start Creating the Culture You Believe in 

Building a corporate culture isn't a lofty goal; it's a sensible process that's not just top-down or bottom-up, but an integrative approach to culture transformation.

So, start by defining what your values are and being explicit about them. Don't just use them as a guide, but as a blueprint for how you do things in your company. This process of defining corporate culture is crucial for creating a strong culture that aligns with your business goals.

"When you clarify what your values are, it helps people understand the rules of the game," Sapir-Zehavi emphasized. These rules become the expected behaviors and behavioral guidelines that shape your company culture.

Then, make sure those rules are consistent! Use language that helps people internalize these values, build an organizational culture that lets the team express themselves within it, and design your office as a place where you can share these values and evoke them. Follow these steps, and you'll be able to set the tone for your company that both employees and management will connect to, fostering a positive company culture that supports employee retention and overall success.

To maintain and improve your corporate culture, consider implementing regular employee surveys to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. Encourage professional development and a growth mindset among your team members. Promote work-life balance and ensure psychological safety in the workplace. Embrace diversity and inclusion to create an inclusive culture that values all perspectives.

Remember, culture champions and change agents within your organization can play a crucial role in driving cultural transformation. Involve them in your efforts to create a culture that reflects your company's values and supports your business objectives.

By focusing on these aspects, you can create a healthy workplace culture that not only attracts top talent but also retains it. A good company culture is not just about having a pleasant work environment; it's about creating a space where employees can thrive, innovate, and contribute to the company's success.

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